Friday, 7 March 2014

Chocolate cupcakes with and banana cake revisited for a birthday

Sylvia's birthday fell on a school day this year. It meant 3 cakes yet again. One on her birthday, one at the party and a batch of cupcakes for school. She was so excited about her birthday this year that there were many plans. Cake. Party. Games. Party Bags. Etc etc etc. It will take a few posts to write about her birthday. Let me start with the cakes for the big day.

Sylvia's favourite breakfast is banana oat pancakes so I flipped pancakes while she opened her birthday presents before school. (We didn't eat them all so I put a few in the freezer. They make great school lunch box snacks.)

Leading up to Sylvia's birthday, I was a bit confused about whether we take cake to school or not. We are still getting used to the school routines so I was dealing with other issues in the week leading up to school. She said she didn't want any cake at school, despite me offering. Then at 7.30 on the eve of her birthday she decided she did want cake for school. This meant no time for any fancy food.

I found a basic chocolate cupcake recipe to make at night and decided to top them with white chocolate frosting and coconut. It wasn't my finest moment in baking. I forgot to add the second 1/2 cup of flour. This didn't matter too much because I was baking in mini muffin cups, that are more likely to dry out.

Then I made a white chocolate frosting that just wouldn't set no matter how long I waited. I think I spread it on the cupcakes at around midnight. As you can see in the photos, it was still quite thin. I regretted not just making a plain old buttercream frosting. However most of the cupcakes were eaten at school and we were quite happy to devour the leftovers.

For her birthday cake Sylvia chose banana so I returned to a banana berry yoghurt cake that she had for her second birthday. Instead of berry yoghurt I used vanilla yoghurt. The cake was delicious and rather stodgy (even with some extra milk). I loved the pale pink cream cheese frosting with a little lemon juice to reduce the sweetness.

Sylvia was more interested in decorating the cake with lollies - rather than the berries she had when younger. We bought a dolly mix and m&ms. I thought it looked great. Sylvia insisted on adding sprinkles. She loves a bit of colour. Hence the balloons and fives (cut out of wrapping paper as inspired by my brother in law) that decorated the kitchen.

Once the lights are dimmed and the candles lit, any birthday cake looks beautiful. This one was no exception. The lollies and sprinkles sparkled like jewels. Sylvia was delighted. She wasn't keen on us singing happy birthday but she loved blowing out the candles.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium large mixing bowl. Whisk the sugar, oil and vanilla into the milk mixture. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Spoon the mixture into cupcake papers, filling about 3/4 to the top.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked (when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out cleanly). Cool on a wire rack. Ice with white chocolate frosting and sprinkle with coconut.

Melt chocolate and butter in a small bowl in the microwave (or in a small saucepan on the stovetop). Set aside. Stir together the milk and icing sugar. Mix in the chocolate butter mixture and let cool until it is spreading consistency. I put mine in the freezer to cool it quickly. The recipe suggests 30 minutes cooling time but even with the freezer mine took far longer to be spreadable.

Banana and yoghurt cake
Adapted from the Australian Women's Weekly Cakes and Slices cookbook via here

Thanks veganopoulous - my mum always made a sponge cake - either with cream or lemon filling, meanwhile I spent hours looking at the women's weekly novelty cakes - so I am still making up time :-) Never heard of a boston bun for a birthday cake but I loved having them when a kid (and now)

Happy Belated Birthday to Sylvia!! I think the cake looks beautiful with the lights off OR on! I love all the colors. And seriously, is that FIVE candles?!! Already??? Holy moly! Time sure does fly. Hope she had a very special birthday and enjoyed all three cakes. :)

Thanks Ricki - yes it does seem incredible she is 5 - and so grown up as a school girl - she did love all her cakes - though she suddenly took a dislike to the dolly mixture once it was on the cake (she is often saying food is too sweet these days - how odd!)

Thanks Lorraine - I think my love of baking means sylvia gets lots of cake but I did too - having lots of brothers and sisters meant I got to share lots of cakes with them (luckily sylvia has cousins to share cakes with). But three cakes does seem indulgent :-)

Happy birthday Sylvia! She is learning to celebrate in style, with 3 cakes and plenty of gorgeous colour. What a well (thoroughly!) decorated cake - perfect for a 5 year old and I am sure she loved being able to add the sweets.

Happy 5th birthday to your daughter. I have just been through the same thing with my son who turned 9. There were cupcakes made for the class, a dessert cake to have with family and a birthday cake for his party. Thank goodness that's done and dusted for another year. Your sparkle cake looks very pretty xx

Thanks Cakelaw - it never occurred to me that the icing took a while to set because it was white chocolate but maybe it was - I thought maybe I heated it a bit much when melting it in the microwave - I figured no one could complain about minimal sweet icing for the kids :-)

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Recipes and reflections in which our vegetarian heroine dreams of being tall and graceful as a giraffe; being a goddess in the kitchen; and being gladdened by green gadgets, green food and green politics because green is the colour of hope. See About Me for more info.